Travel Gluttony: Cinnabon Expects Huge Thanksgiving Holiday Sales

Few would deny that cinnamon rolls are good year-round, but cinnamon roll business booms around the holidays.

At least for Cinnabon.

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BusinessWeek.com's Venessa Wong reports that Cinnabon expects to sell one million of their delicious rolls nationwide over the five-day span around Thanksgiving (Wednesday through Sunday).

That may not be all that surprising considering Americans are shopping at malls and stuck in airports during the period between Thanksgiving in New Year's Day, where food courts are unavoidable, as is the smell of freshly-baked Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. 

But as Wong notes, that equates to a jaw-dropping 8,300 cinnamon rolls sold and presumably eaten per hour.

Cinnabon’s vice president of new market operations Deborah Rowley explains the phenomenon quite simply, claiming that "some people wait all year to indulge."

"Jollybon" is what Cinnabon executives use to refer to the booming sales period from Black Friday through the start of January.

"Sales increase about 50 percent compared with the average day. Even Google searches for Cinnabon increase during this special time," writes Wong.

Much like Santa Claus, Christmas Eve is Cinnabon's single busiest day of the year. 

With food and indulgence each representing an essential aspect of the holidays, it's no wonder Cinnabon is so beloved this time of year. Plus, nothing complements a warm cup of coffee or a delicious Thanksgiving meal like a little soft dough and icing to wash it all down with.

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